Halo 4 leaks, Microsoft targets pirates

The digital version of the seven seas is fraught with its fair share of pirates, and this time around Microsoft is setting their crosshairs on those who have leaked out copies of the upcoming blockbuster console title, Halo 4 for the Xbox 360 which will be an exclusive release later this year. Leaked nearly a month ahead of its official release, the images which surfaced at the end of last week on Reddit proved to be the real deal, and a fair share of gameplay videos have also snaked their way to the Internet over the weekend. To make matters worse, a full retail copy of the game has also been found on torrent sites, but 343 Industries, the company behind Halo 4, is not feeling too hot and bothered by explaining their policy concerning those who played the pirated copy of Halo 4.

Microsoft issued a statement through a representative of theirs, “We have seen the reports of Halo 4 content being propped on the Web and are working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation.”

Word on the grapevine has it that Microsoft did act swiftly and decisively when removing the unauthorized content from their known online repositories. Those caught playing the leaked copy of Halo 4 would result in a permanent Xbox 360 console ban in addition to removing all Xbox Live account privileges as playing a pirated copy (rightfully) constitutes a breach of the terms of use and code of conduct for the online service. Best to wait for just three more weeks for the official Halo 4 release, no?